J&K: Private schools forcing parents to buy new books, uniforms to be derecognised

Many parents have slammed J&K’s private schools’ move of forcing them to purchased changed books and uniforms from designated shops or stalls setup on campus saying it was a new way to make money

With private schools forcing parents to purchase new books and uniforms from the school campus or designated shops, the government has threatened to derecognise schools if they do not desist from the practice.

The school session in Kashmir is already over or on its last legs in many private schools have not only changed the books and uniforms but also asked parents to buy books from particular shops or from the campus where stalls have been set up. (Representative Image/HT File)

The school session in Kashmir is already over or on its last legs in many private schools have not only changed the books and uniforms but also asked parents to buy books from particular shops or from the campus where stalls have been set up.

Many parents have slammed the schools’ move saying it was a new way to make money. “It is a big scam,” said Manzor Ahmad, a government employee, whose son got promoted to next class last week. “The school has also changed the books. This is the pattern after every two years. Either they change half the books or the whole set to force parents to buy new books,” he said.

Another parent, Ishfaq Ahmad said schools did this to earn commission and despite government orders the big schools are continuing with the practice.

Kashmir director of school education Tasaduq Mir said, “It has again come to the notice of this directorate that recognised private schools are selling books and uniforms on the school premises. Parents are being forced to purchase books from some specific private shops. Besides, the exercise of replacing existing books with the new ones is becoming the norm for recognised unaided private schools. This has been viewed very seriously. The practice is against the instructions already issued on the subject vide series of communications issued earlier.”

Meanwhile, defending the decision to change books, the principal of a private school, requesting anonymity, said, “We change books after five or six years when we feel students need new books according to the new curriculum. This is a baseless allegation that schools change books every year. If this is being done then action should be taken against such schools or administrations.”